Fracture table or similar structure



March 19,1946. I A. COMPER' 2,396,640

FRACTUR E TABLE OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. COMPER FRACTURE TABLE OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE 7 Filed Dec. 16, 1942 March 19, 1946.

adrzla'n Com Jar March 19, 1946. A. COMPER FRACTURE TABLE OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE 3, SheetsShee t 3 Filed Dec. 16, 1942 Qdfi'an (bmper Patented Mar. 19, 1946 FRACTURE TABLE OR SIMILAR STRUCTURE Adrian Comper, Erie, Pa., assignor to American Sterilizer Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 16, 1942,, Serial .No. 469,258

'7 Claims.

. The invention relates to a new and improved fracture table or the like for use in fracture location and setting, fluoroscopic examination and X-ray photography, cast application, spinal or other manipulations, etc.

One of the foremost objects of the invention is to provide a greatly simplified construction which may be easily adjusted as to length, according to the patients height, and may be readily retracted to unusually compact form, for shipment, for movement say from the X-ray room of a hospital to the plaster room, for the occupation of minimum space when not in use, etc.

The table includes a sling to support the patient for spinal examination, manipulation or other treatment, to facilitate cast application, etc., and a further object is to make novel provision for anchoring the foot end of said sling, at any of a plurality ofelevations, according to requirements.

As customary, theystand of the table or the like is provided with supporting casters, and a still further object is to provide a single novel struc ture operable both as a floor lock to prevent rolling of the stand when in use, and as tilting means for said stand when advisable, for example, to place the patient in the so-called Trendelenberg position. I

With the foregoing and minor objects in view,

the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a perspective view.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section partly in elevation through the lower portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail sectional views on lines 44 and 5-5 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the struc tul'e retracted into compact form, a number of the parts being removed.

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing one of the many positions in which a patient may be supported upon the sling.

The general structure shown and described, may be considered as preferred, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous variations may of course be made.

A stand I is shown comprising a base I I, a casing 12 above said base, and legs l3 and I4 rigidly connecting said casing with said base. The base ll comprises two downwardly open channel bars l and I6, and a rigid tube I! extending between and welded or otherwise secured to said channel bars, said tube preferably extending through the bar It as shown. Suitable swiveled casters H! are provided in the ends of the bar l5 and nonswiveled casters l8 are. employed in theends of the bar l6, permitting rolling of the stand In in any desired direction. The non-swiveled casters l8 also prevent any lateral movement of one end of the base II when the other end of said base is held against movement with respect to the floor by means described below.

A horizontal bar I9 is disposed longitudinally within the channel bar I 5 between the casters [8 (see Figs. 2 and 3.). Near its ends, this bar 19 is provided with two upstanding rods 20 rigidly secured to said bar, said rods projecting upwardly through the top of the channel bar l5 and being slidably received in vertical guide tubes 2| which are welded or otherwise secured to said bar IS. A central screw 22 is also secured to the bar l9 and projects upwardly through the top oi the bar l5, said screw being received in a tubular nut 23 which is mounted for rotation in a third tube 24 secured to the top of the bar 15. The nut 23 is equipped with a, crank or the like 25 on its upper end, and rotation of said nut by means of said crank operates the screw 22 and the bar [9. Thus, this bar may be forced tightly down against the floor to constitute a floor lock to prevent shifting of the stand l0 upon the floor while in use. Moreover, by further operation of the crank 25, one end of the stand may be elevated from the floor to tilt the entire table or the like when required, for instance, to place the patient in the so-called Trendelenberg position. It will be noted on reference to Fig. 3 that the bar I9 has a length substantially half that of the channel bar so that there will be no tendency of the stand to tilt or rock when the bar is elevated to give the so-called Trendelenberg position and that the use of only one elevating screw is necessary to accomplish that result. In the construction'here in disclosed, the hub'of the crank 25 'abuts'the upper end of the guide tube 24, and a flange 26 on the lower end of the nut 23 underlies the top of the channel bar l5, said nut being thus held against any vertical movement with respect to said bar l5.

The casing 12 is of horizontally elongated form and includes a vertical guideway 21 for a vertical .rack 28, and said casing contains suitable operating means 29 for elevating and lowering said rack 28, said operating means having an actuating shaft 30, the ends of which project beyond the sides of the casing [2 so that either end of said shaft may be engaged by an appropriate operating crank 3|.

The upper end of the rack 28 is equipped with a horizontally elongated head 32 to which a table section 33 is detachably secured in a known manner. The head 32 is formed with two sockets '34 to removably receive the lower ends of two connected standards 35 constituting parts of an overhead frame for traction purposes, suspension purposes, or the like. In the present disclosure, this overhead frame includes one longitudinal bar 36 adjustably connected with the-upper, ends, ofthe .I also disclose athird tableisection 40 having a supporting standard 4l' adjustably supported bya guide portion 42 of the casing l2. The inner endof this casing, and the table section 33 are shown as having openings 43 and 44 respectively, through which an offset perineal post 45 may be passed when desired, said post being shown in dotted-lines in Fig. 7. 1 J Thestandard 39.,is rigidly suported by the outer end of aehorizontal bar 46 which is slidably telescoped with the tubular bar. above described, the lower section of said standard 39 being prefably integral with said bar 46; The above mentioned vertical adjustment of the standard 39 is shown in Fig. 2, the upper section of 39, telescopingiinto the lower-sectionas shown by the dotted lines in said" view; A known 'formjof fastening means for thesections of 39 is shown in saidview and in Fig; 1. Set screws 41 are shown for lockbar 46 against further movement with respect to bar llafterthe former has been projected or retractedasrequired;with respect to the base I I.

(17A bracket 48 carryinga sling reel 49 is detachably connectable, with the .upper'end of the standard 39 whether the table section 38 beattached to: or;detached from said standard, and in the present disclosure; said table sectionis formed with a notch 59 which may receive said bracket 48; .The reel shaft is provided with an appropriate operating handle and with a dog and ratchet mechanism, a portion'of the latter being shownat. 52 in Fig; l. The, reel shaft also preferably carries two hand-grips 53' useable by a i patient, as illustrated in Fig.8, for example. The head end of asling 54 of canvas or the like, is wound upon the reel 49,-and the foot end of said sling is secured .to a suitable anchor 55 for which anovelsupport 56 has been devised, said support 5B.-being vertically adjustable upon the innermost of the standards 35, to any selected position.

, As; the .lengthiof. the patient-supporting means 33, 38;; andthe: length of-the patient-supporting means- 54tmust be changeable according to the height: of the patient or the operation to be performedywhethersaid two supporting means be employed jointly (Figs; 1 and 2) or one without the other- (Fig. 8), it will be seen that the longitudinal adjustability of the bar 46 with respect to the stand l0 affords a convenientmeans for changing the length of said; patient-supporting means as. required. Also, when the entire strucin Fig. '7, to materially decrease the overall length of the apparatus, permitting it to then occupy relatively little space. It will be noted on reference to Figs. 2 and '7, that table section 33 has its outer end supported by the vertically movable rack bar 28 which is positioned above one end of base H and that said table section extends inwardly over the center of the stand through substantially the length of base ll, while the other table'section 38 has its outer end secured to the top of the standard and extends inwardly over 55, is in the form of a cross arm having a centure isnot in use, the bar 46 maybe retracted V tral hub 51. slidable upon the innermost "of the standards 35, said standard having a plurality of vertically spaced lateral'lugs 58 for supporting said cross arm at any selected elevation, any of these lugs being receivable in a downwardly open notch 59 in the lower end of the hub ET. This hub .is formed with an internal vertical groove 60 spaced circumferentially to a suitable extent from the notch 59, said groove being of a size to receive any of the lugs 58. When the cross arm 56 is to be downwardly adjusted, it is raised' to disengage its notch 59 from the lug 58 previously supporting it, and said cross arm isthen turned to aline its groove 60 with said lug 58, whereupon said cross arm may be moved downwardly to a lower position. The groove 60 also of course comes into play whenthe cross arm must pass any of the lugs 58 when setting said cross "arm at a higher or lower position, as required. In the present disclosure, the end portions of the" cross arm 55 diverge widely with 'respectto 'each other as seen in Fig. 5, and the extremities ofsaid cross arm are formed with openingsfi I "toreceive downwardly projecting studs" 62 on the 'slin'g" anchor55..

At 63, I have shown laterally projecting cars at the inner end of the casing lZ,'-forthe attachment of traction devices orsimilar' devices for a patients legs, but as their structure forms no part of the present invention, they have not been illustrated. The ears 63'may well be formed by the ends of aplate welded or otherwise 'se cured to the upper end of'the stand leg 13 and suitably secured under one end of the casing 12,

From the foregoing taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has beenmade for carrying out the objects of the invention, and it will be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed;

I claim: l

l. A fracture table or similar structure-comprising afioor-supported stand, a horizontal 'bar horizontally proj ectable and retractable with re- ,spect to said stand, means slidably' connecting said bar with said stand, means for securing said bar to said stand after longitudinal adjustment of said bar, a standard rigidly secured to and rising from the outer end of'said 'bar, elevating means carried by said'stand and including vertically movable means projecting upwardly from said stand, and patient-supporting means supported by said vertically movable meansand-{said standard; said patient-supporting means coinprising a sling, means connecting one end of said sling with said vertically movable means, and means connecting the other end of said sling with said standard, one of said connecting means including a reel upon which the sling is wound.

2. In a fracture table or similar structure, a base including a horizontal channel bar having its channel open downwardly, the ends of said channel bar having floor-engaging casters, a horizontal floor-engaging bar disposed longitudinally in said channel and normally spaced above the floor level, two guide rods secured to the end portions of said floor-engaging bar and projecting upwardly through the top of said channel bar, two guide tubes secured to said top of said channel bar and slidably receiving said guide rods, a screw secured to the central portion of said floor-engaging bar and projecting upwardly through the top of said channel bar, a tubular nut threaded upon said screw, a third tube in which said tubular nut is rotatably mounted, said third tube being secured to and projecting upwardly fromsaid top of said channel bar, and a crank secured to the upper end of said tubular nut and disposed at the upper end of said third tube.

3. In a fracture table or similar structure, a standard having vertically spaced laterally projecting lugs, a cross arm having a central hub surrounding said standard, said hub having an internal groove from end to end and of a size to receive any of said lugs as said hub is slid vertically on said standard, said hub having a downwardly open notch to seat upon any of said lugs to hold said hub at any selected elevation, said notch being spaced circumferentially of the hub from said groove, a patient-supporting sling, and means connecting one end of said sling with said cross arm.

4. In a fracture table or similar structure, a standard having vertically spaced laterally projecting lugs, a cross arm having a central hub surrounding said standard, said hub having an internal groove from end to end and of a size to receive any of said lugs as said hub is slid vertically on said standard, said hub having a downwardly open notch to seat upon any of said lugs to hold said hub at any selected elevation,

" said notch being spaced circumferentially of the hub from said groove, a patient-supporting sling, an anchor to which one end of said sling is connected, said anchor being disposed at one side of said standard and having spaced downwardly projecting studs, the two halves of said cross arm being in widely diverging relation with each other and having openings in their ends receiving said studs.

5. In a fracture table or similar structure, a base comprising two spaced parallel transverse base bars close to the floor, and a central horizontal rigid longitudinal tube close to the floor, said tube extending between and being permanently secured to central portions of said transverse base bars; a casing above said base, two downwardly diverging inclined legs rigidly connecting said casing with one of said transverse base bars, and a third leg rigidly connecting said casing with an intermediate portion of said central longitudinal tube; elevating means comprising vertically movable means projecting upwardly from said casing and operating means for said vertically movable means mounted in said casing, a horizontal bar close to the floor and having one end slidably telescoped with the aforesaid tube to permit projection and retraction of said bar with respect to said base, and a standard rigidly secured to and rising from the outer end of said bar in outwardly spaced relation with said casing; means for securing said bar against sliding in said tube after longitudinal adjustment of said bar; and patient-supporting means carried by said standard and said vertically movable means.

6. A fracture table or similar structure comprising a stand having a relatively short floorsulpported base, said base being rigid and including a central longitudinal elongated guideway positioned horizontallyclose to the floor and forming an integral part of said rigid base, elevating means carried by said stand and including vertically movable means projecting upwardly from said stand and positioned above one end of said base, a vertically adjustable standard spaced from the other end of said base and projecting upwardly in spacedparallel relation to said vertically movable means, a horizontal bar formed integral with the lower portion of said standard and slidably telescoped into said guideway, the latter serving as the sole supporting means for said horizontal bar and said standard, releasable means for securing said horizontal bar in said guideway after adjustment of said bar, a horizontal table section rigidly secured at its outer end to said vertically movable means and projecting over the central portion of said stand throughout substantially the length of said base, and a second horizontal table section rigidly secured at its outer end to the top of said vertically adjustable standard, said second table section extending over approximately the length of said horizontal bar and toward said first table section, whereby when said table sections are disposed in different horizontal planes and said horizontal bar is telescoped into said guideway to the limit of its inward movement said table sections will have their free ends in overlapping relation to reduce the overall length of the fracture table or similar structure when it is not in use.

7. In a fracture table or similar structure, a base having one end formed by a horizontal channel bar having its channel facing downwardly, floor-engaging casters within said bar at its ends, a horizontal floor-engaging bar havnut rotatably mounted at the center of said channel bar and engaged with said screw, and an operating handle fixed to the top of said screw for rotating the latter to force said floorengaging bar downwardly against the floor and to then elevate said channel bar from the floor to tilt said base.

ADRIAN COMIPER. 

